Letter of the Authors
expounding hiswhole intention in the
course
of this worke, whichfor that it giueth great light
to
the Reader, forthe better vnderstanding is
hereuntoannexed.

To the Right noble, and Valorous,
Sir Walter Raleigh knight, Lo. Wardein of the Stanneryes, and her
Maiesties
lieftenaunt of the County of Cornewayll.

SIr
knowing how doubtfully all Allegories may be construed, and
this
booke of mine, which I have entituled the Faery Queene, being a
continued
Allegory, or darke conceit, I haue thought good aswell for auoyding of
gealous opinions and misco[n]structions, as also for your better light
in reading thereof, (being so by you commanded) to discouer vnto you
the
general intention and meaning, which in the whole course thereof I haue
fashioned, without expressing of any particular purposes or by
accidents
therein occasioned. The generall end therefore of all the booke is to
fashion
a gentleman or noble person in vertuous and gentle discipline: Which
for
that I conceiued shoulde be most plausible and pleasing, being coloured
with an historicall fiction, the which the most part of men delight to
read, rather for variety of matter, then for profite of the ensample: I
chose the historye of king Arthure, as most fitte for the excellency of
his person being made famous by many mens former workes, and also
furthest
from the daunger of enuy, and suspition of present time. In which I
haue
followed all the antique Poets historicall, first Homere, who in the
Persons
of Agamemnon and Vlysses hath ensampled a good gouernour and a vertuous
man, the one in his Ilias, the other in his Odysseis: then Virgil,
whose
like intention was to doe in the person of Aeneas: after him Ariosto
comprised
them both in his Orlando: and lately Tasso disseuered them againe, and
formed both parts in two persons, namely that part which they in
Philosophy
call Ethice, or vertues of a priuate man, coloured in his Rinaldo: The
other named Politice in his Godfredo. By ensample of which excellente
Poets,
I labour to pourtraict in Arthure, before he was king, the image of a
braue
knight, perfected in the twelue morall vertues, as Aristotle hath
deuised,
the which is the purpose of these first twelue bookes: which if I finde
to be well accepted, I may be perhaps encoraged, to frame the other
part
of polliticke vertues in his person, after that hee came to be king. To
some I know this Methode will seeme displeasaunt, which had rather haue
good discipline deliuered plainly in way of precepts, or sermoned at
large,
as they vse, then thus clowdily enrapped in Allegoricall deuises. But
such,
me seeme, should be satisfide with the vse of these dayes seeing all
things
accounted by their showes, and nothing esteemed of, that is not
delightfull
and pleasing to commune sence. For this cause Xenophon preferred before
Plato, for that the one in the exquisite depth of his iudgement, formed
a Commune welth such as it should be, but the other in the person of
Cyrus
and the Persians fashioned a gouernment such as it might best be: So
much
more profitable and gratious is doctrine by ensample, then by rule. So
haue I laboured to doe in the person of Arthure: whome I conceiue after
his long education by Timon, to whome he was by Merlin deliuered to be
brought vp, so soone as he was borne of the Lady Igrayne, to haue seene
in a dream or vision the Faery Queen, with whose excellent beauty
rauished,
he awaking resolued to seeke her out, and so being by Merlin armed, and
by Timon throughly instructed, he went to seeke her forth in Faerye
land.
In that Faery Queene I meane glory in my generall intention, but in my
particular I conceiue the most excellent and glorious person of our
soueraine
the Queene, and her kingdome in Faery land. And yet in some places els
I do otherwise shadow her. For considering she beareth two persons, the
one of a most royall Queene or Empresse, the other of a most vertuous
and
beautifull Lady, this latter part in some places I doe ezpresse in
Belphoebe,
fashioning her name according to your owne excellent conceipt of
Cynthia
(Phoebe and Cynthia being both names of Diana). So in the person of
Prince
Arthure I sette forth magnificence in particular, which vertue for that
(according to Aristotle and the rest) it is the perfection of all the
rest,
and conteineth in it them all, therefore in the whole course I mention
the deedes of Arthure applyable to that vertue, which I write of in
that
booke. But of the xii. other vertues, I make xii. other knights the
patrones,
for the more variety of the history. Of which these three bookes
contayn
three. The first of the knight of the Redcrosse, in whome I express
Holynes.
The seconde of Sir Guyon, in whome I sette forth Temperaunce: The third
of Britomartis a Lady knight, in whome I picture Chastity. But because
the beginning of the whole worke seemeth abrupte and as depending vpon
other antecedents, it needs that ye know the occasion of these three
knights
seuerall aduentures. For the Methode of a Poet historical is not such,
as of an Historiographer. For an Historiographer discourseth of
affayres
orderly as they were donne, accounting as well the times as the
actions,
but a Poet thrusteth into the middest, euen where it most concerneth
him,
and there recoursing to the thinges forepaste, and diuining of thinges
to come, maketh a pleasing Analysis of all. The beginning therefore of
my history, if it were to be told by an Historiographer should be the
twelfth
booke, which is the last, where I deuise that the Faery Queene kept her
Annuall feaste xii. dayes, vppon which xii. seuerall dayes, the
occasions
of the xii. seuerall aduentures, hapned, which being vndertaken by xii.
seuerall knights, are in these xii. books seuerally handled and
discoursed.
The first was this. In the beginning of the feast, there presented
himselfe
a tall clownish younge man, who falling before the Queen of Faries
desired
a boone (as the manner then was) which during that feast she might not
refuse: which was that hee might haue the atchieument of any aduenture,
which during that feaste should happen: that being graunted, he rested
him on the floore, vnfitte through his rusticity for a better place.
Soone
after entred a faire Ladye in mourning weedes, riding on a white Asse,
with a dwarfe behind her leading a warlike steed, that bore the Armes
of
a knight, and his speare in the dwarfes hand. Shee falling before the
Queene
of Faeries complayned that her father and mother an ancient King and
Queene,
had bene by an huge dragon many years shut vp in a brasen Castle, who
thence
suffred them not to yssew: and therefore besought the Faery Queene to
assygne
her some one of her knights to take on him that exployt. Presently that
clownish person vpstarting, desired that aduenture: whereat the Queene
much wondering, and the Lady much gainesaying, yet he earnestly
importuned
his desire. In the end the Lady told him that vnlesse that armour which
she brought, would serue him (that is the armour of a Christian man
specified
by Saint Paul v. Ephes.) that he could not succeed in that enterprise,
which being forthwith put upon him with dewe furnitures thereunto, he
seemed
the goodliest man in al that company, and was well liked of the Lady.
And
eftesoones taking on him knighthood, and mounting on that straunge
Courser,
he went forth with her on that aduenture: where beginneth the first
booke,
vz.

A gentle knight was pricking on the
playne, &c.

The second day ther came in a
Palmer bearing an Infant with bloody hands, whose Parents he complained
to haue bene slayne by an Enchauntresse called Acrasia: and therfore
craued
of the Faery Queene, to appoint him some knight, to performe that
aduenture,
which being assigned to Sir Guyon, he presently went forth with that
same
Palmer: which is the beginning of the second booke and the whole
subiect
thereof. The third day there came in a Groome, who complained before
the
Faery Queene, that a vile Enchaunter called Busirane had in hand a most
faire Lady called Amoretta, whom he kept in most grieuous torment,
because
she would not yield him the pleasure of her body. Whereupon Sir
Scudamour
the louer of that Lady presently tooke on him that aduenture. But being
vnable to performe it by reason of the hard Enchauntments, after long
sorrow,
in the end he met with Britomartis who succoured him, and reskewed his
loue.

But by occasion hereof,
many other aduentures are intermedled, but rather as Accidents, then
intendments.
As the loue of Britomart, the ouerthrow of Marinell, the misery of
Florimell,
the vertuousnes of Belphoebe, the lasciuiousnes of Hellenora, and many
the like.

Thus much Sir, I haue briefly
ouerronne to direct your vnderstanding to the wel-head of the History,
that from thence gathering the whole intention of the conceit, ye may
as
in a handfull gripe al the discourse, which otherwise may happily seeme
tedious and confused. So humbly crauing the continuaunce of your
honorable
fauour towardes me, and th'eternall establishment of your happines, I
humbly
take leaue.

23 Ianuary, 1589.

Yours most humbly affectionateEd. Spenser.

Commendatory Poems
and Sonnets to Persons of Rank

A Vision vpon this
conceipt of the Faery Queene.

ME
thought I saw the graue where Laura layWithin that Temple, where
the vestall
flameWas wont to burne, and
passing by
that way,To see that buried dust of
liuing
fame,Whose tombe faire loue, and
fairer
vertue kept,All suddenly I saw the Faery
Queene:At whose approch the soule
of Petrarke
wept,And from thenceforth those
graces
were not seene.For they this Queene
attended, in
whose steedObliuion laid him downe on Lauras
herse:Hereat the hardest stones
were seene
to bleed,And grones of buried ghostes
the
heuens did perse.Where Homers spright
did
tremble all for griefe,And curst th'accesse of that
celestiall
theife.

Another of the
same.

THe
prayse of meaner wits this worke like profit brings,As doth the Cuckoes song
delight
when Philumena sings.If thou hast formed right
true
vertues face herein:Vertue her selfe can best
discerne,
to whom they writen bin.If thou hast beauty
praysd, let
her sole looks diuineIudge if ought therein be
amis,
and mend it by her meine.If Chastitie want ought,
or Temperaunce
her dew,Behold her Princely mind
aright,
and write thy Queene anew.Meane while she shall
perceiue,
how far her vertues soreAboue the reach of all
that liue,
or such as wrote of yore:And thereby will excuse
and fauour
thy good will:Whose vertue can not be
exprest,
but by an Angels quill.Of me no lines are lou'd,
nor
letters are of price,Of all which speak our
English
tongue, but those of thy deuice.

W. R.

To the learned Shepeheard.

COllyn
I see by thy new taken taske,some sacred fury hath
enricht
thy braynes,That leades thy muse in
hautie
verse to maske,and loath the layes that
longs
to lowly swaynes.That lifts thy notes from
Shepheardes
vnto kingesSo like the liuely Larke
that
mounting singes.

Yet as thou earst with thy
sweete roundelayes,didst stirre to glee our
laddes
in homely bowers:So moughtst thou now in
these
refyned layes,delight the daintie eares
of
higher powers.And so mought they in
their deepe
skanning skillAlow and grace our
Collyns flowing
quill.

So mought thy Redcrosse
knight with happy handvictorious be in that
faire Ilands
right:Which thou dost vaile in
Type
of Faery landElyzaes blessed field,
that Albion
hight.That shieldes her
friends, and
warres her mightie foes,Yet still with people,
peace,
and plentie flowes.

But (iolly Shepheard) though
with pleasing style,thou feast the humour of
the
Courtly traine:Let not conceipt thy
setled sence
beguile,ne daunted be through
enuy or
disdaine.Subiect thy dome to her
Empyring
spright,From whence thy Muse, and
all
the world takes light.

Hobynoll.

FAyre Thamis
streame, that from Ludds stately towne,Runst paying tribute to the
Ocean
seas,Let all thy Nymphes and
Syrens of
renowneBe silent, whyle this
Bryttane Orpheus
playes:Nere thy sweet bankes, there
liues
that sacred crowne,Whose hand strowes Palme and
neuer-dying
bayes.Let all at once with thy
soft murmuring
sownePresent her with this worthy
Poets
prayes.For he hath taught hye
drifts in
Shepeherdes weedes,And deepe conceites now
singes in Faeries deedes.

R. S.

GRaue
Muses march in triumph and with prayses,Our Goddesse here hath
giuen
you leaue to land:And biddes this rare
dispenser
of your gracesBow downe his brow vnto
her sacred
hand.Desertes findes dew in
that most
princely doome,In whose sweete brest are
all
the Muses bredde:So did that great Augustus
erst in RoomeWith leaues of fame
adorne his
Poets hedde.Faire be the guerdon of
your Faery Queene,Euen of the fairest that
the
world hath seene.

H. B.

WHen
stout Achilles heard of Helen's rapeAnd what reuenge the States
of Greece
deuisd:Thinking by sleight the
fatall warres
to scape,In womens weedes him selfe
he then
disguisde.But this deuise Vlysses
soone
did spy,And brought him forth, the
chaunce
of warre to try.

When Spencer saw the
fame was spredd so largeThrough Faery land of their
renowned
Queene:Loth that his Muse should
take so
great a charge,As in such haughty matter to
be
seene,To seeme a Shepeheard then
he made
his choice,But Sidney heard him
sing,
and knew his voice.

And as Vlysses brought
faire Thetis sonneFrom his retyred life to
menage
armes:So Spencer was by Sidneys
speaches wonne,To blaze her fame not
fearing future
harmes:For well he knew, his Muse
would
soone be tyredIn her high praise, that all
the
world admired.

Yet as Achilles in those
warlike frayes,Did win the palme from all
the Grecian
Peeres:So Spencer now to
his immortall
prayse,Hath wonne the Laurell quite
from
all his feres.What though his taske exceed
a humaine
wittHe is excus'd, sith Sidney
thought it fitt.

W.L.

TO
looke vpon a worke of rare deuiseThe which a workman
setteth out
to view,And not to yield it the
deserued
prise,That vnto such a
workmanship
is dew,Doth either proue the
iudgement
to be naughtOr els doth shew a mind
with
enuy fraught.

To labour to commend a peece
of worke,Which no man goes about
to discommend,Would raise a iealous
doubt that
there did lurkeSome secret doubt,
whereto the
prayse did tend.For when men know the
goodnes
of the wyne,Tis needlesse for the
hoast to
haue a sygne.

Thus then to shew my iudgement
to be suchAs can discern of colours
blacke,
and white,As alls to free my minde
from
enuies tuch,That neuer giues to any
man his
right,I here pronounce this
workmanship
is such,As that no pen can set it
forth
too much.

And thus I hang a garland
at the dore,Not for to shew the
goodnes of
the ware:But such hath beene the
custome
heretofore,And customes very hardly
broken
are.And when your tast shall
tell
you this is trew,Then looke you giue your
hoast
his vtmost dew.

Ignoto.

To the right honourable Sir
Chris-topher Hatton, Lord High
Chauncelorof England. &c.

THose
prudent heads, that with theire counsels wiseWhylom the Pillours of
th'earth
did sustaine,And taught ambitious Rome
to tyrannise,And in the neck of all the
world
to rayne,Oft from those graue
affaires were
wont abstaine,With the sweet Lady Muses
for to
play:So Ennius the elder
AfricaneSo Maro oft did Cæsars
cares allay.So you great Lord, that with
your
counsell swayThe burdeine of this kingdom
mightily,With like delightes
sometimes may
eke delay,The rugged brow of carefull
Policy:And to these ydle rymes lend
litle
space,Which for their titles sake
may
find more grace.

To the most honourable and
excellentLo. the Earle of Essex.
Great
Maister of theHorse to her Highnesse, and
knight
of theNoble order of the
Garter.&c.

MAgnificke
Lord, whose vertues excellentDoe merit a most famous
Poets
witt,To be thy liuing praises
instrument,Yet doe not sdeigne, to
let thy
name be writtIn this base Poeme, for
thee
far vnfitt.Nought is thy worth
disparaged
thereby,But when my Muse, whose
fethers
nothing flittDoe yet but flagg, and
lowly
learne to flyWith bolder wing shall
dare alofte
to styTo the last praises of
this Faery
Queene,Then shall it make more
famous
memoryOf thine Heroicke parts,
such
as they beene:Till then vouchsafe thy
noble
countenaunce,To these first labours
needed
furtheraunce.

To the right Honourable the
Earleof Oxenford, Lord high
Chamberlayne
ofEngland. &c.

REceiue
most Noble Lord in gentle gree,The vnripe fruit of an
vnready wit:Which by thy countenaunce
doth craue
to beeDefended from foule Enuies
poisnous
bit.Which so to doe may thee
right well
befit,Sith th'antique glory of
thine auncestryVnder a shady vele is
therein writ,And eke thine owne long
liuing memory,Succeeding them in true
nobility:And also for the loue, which
thou
doest beareTo th'Heliconian
ymps, and
they to thee,They vnto thee, and thou to
them
most deare:Deare as thou art unto thy
selfe,
so loueThat loues & honours
thee, as
doth behoue.

To the right honourable the
Earle ofNorthumberland.

The
sacred Muses haue made alwaies clameTo be the Nourses of
nobility,And Registres of
euerlasting
fameTo all that armes
professe and
cheualry.Then by like right the
noble
Progeny,Which them succeed in
fame and
worth, are tydeT'embrace the seruice of
sweete
Poetry,By whose endeuours they
are glorifide,And eke from all, of whom
it
is enuide,To patronize the authour
of their
praise,Which giues them life,
that els
would soone haue dide,And crownes their ashes
with
immortall baies.To thee therefore right
noble
Lord I sendThis present of my
paines, it
to defend.

To the right Honourable the
Earle ofOrmond and Ossory.

REceiue
most noble Lord a simple tasteOf the wilde fruit, which
saluage
soyl hath bred,Which being through long
wars left
almost waste,With brutish barbarisme is
ouerspredd:And in so faire a land, as
may be
redd,Not one Parnassus,
nor one HeliconeLeft for sweete Muses to be
harboured,But where thy selfe hast thy
braue
mansione:There in deede dwel faire
Graces
many one.And gentle Nymphes, delights
of
learned wits;And in thy person without
ParagoneAll goodly bountie and true
honour
sits,Such therefore, as that
wasted soyl
doth yield,Receiue dear Lord in worth,
the
fruit of barren field.

To the right honourable the
Lo. Ch.Howard, Lo. high Admiral
of England, knight ofthe noble order of the Garter,
and
one ofher Maiesties priuie Counsel. &c.

ANd
ye, braue Lord, whose goodly personage,And noble deeds each
other garnishing,Make you ensample to the
present
age,Of th'old Heroes, whose
famous
ofspringThe antique Poets wont so
much
to sing,In this same Pageaunt
haue a
worthy place,Sith those huge castles
of Castilian
king,That vainly threatned
kingdomes
to displace,Like flying doues ye did
before
you chace;And that proud people
woxen insolentThrough many victories,
didst
first deface:Thy praises euerlasting
monumentIs in this verse
engr[a]uen semblab[l]y,That it may liue to all
posterity.

To the most renowmed and valiantLord, the Lord Grey of Wilton,
knight
of theNoble order of the Garter,
&c.

MOst
Noble Lord the pillor of my life,And Patrone of my Muses
pupillage,Through whose large bountie
poured
on me rife,In the first season of my
feeble
age,I now doe liue, bound yours
by vassalage:Sith nothing euer may
redeeme, nor
reaueOut of your endlesse debt so
sure
a gage,Vouchsafe in worth this
small guift
to receaue,Which in your noble hands
for pledge
I leaue,Of all the rest, that I am
tyde
t'account:Rude rymes, the which a
rustick
Muse did weaneIn sauadge soyle, far from
Parnasso
mount,And roughly wrought in an
vnlearned
Loome:The which vouchsafe dear
Lord your
fauorable doome.

To the right noble and valorousknight, Sir Walter Raleigh,
Lo. Wardein of theStanneryes, and lief[t]enaunt
of
Cornwaile.

NE
may I, without blot of endlesse blame,You fairest Lady leaue out
of this
place,But with remembraunce of
your gracious
name,Wherewith that courtly
garlond most
ye grace,And deck the world, adorne
these
verses base:Not that these few lines can
in
them compriseThose glorious ornaments of
heuenly
grace,Wherewith ye triumph ouer
feeble
eyes,And in subdued harts do
tyranyse:For thereunto doth need a
golden
quill,And siluer leaues, them
rightly
to deuise,But to make humble present
of good
will:Which whenas timely meanes
it purchase
may,In ampler wise it self will
forth
display.

E. S.

To all the gratious and beautifull
Ladiesin the Court.

THe
Chian Peincter, when he was requirdeTo pourtraict Venus
in
her perfect hew,To make his worke more
absolute,
desirdOf all the fairest Maides
to
haue the vew.Much more me needs to
draw the
semblant trew,Of beauties Queene, the
worlds
sole wonderment,To sharpe my sence with
sundry
beauties vew,And steale from each some
part
of ornament.If all the world to seeke
I ouerwent,A fairer crew yet no
where could
I see,Then that braue court
doth to
mine eie present,That the worlds pride
seemes
gathered there to bee.Of each part I stole by
cunning
thefte:Forgiue it me faire
Dames, sith
lesse ye haue not lefte.

E. S.

To the right honourable the Lo.Burleigh, Lo. high
Threasurer
of England.

TO
you right noble Lord, whose carefull brestTo menage of most graue
affaires
is bent,And on whose mightie
shoulders most
doth restThe burdein of this
kingdomes gouernement,As the wide compasse of the
firmament,On Atlas mighty
shoulders
is vpstayed;Vnfitly I these ydle rimes
present,The labour of lost time, and
wit
vnstayd:Yet if their deeper sence be
inly
wayd,And the dim vele, with which
from
comune vewTheir fairer parts are hid,
aside
be layd.Perhaps not vaine the might
appeare
to you.Such as they be, vouchsafe
them
to receaue,And wipe their faults out of
your
censure graue.

E. S.

To the right honourable the Lord
ofHunsdon, high Chamberlaine
to
her Maiesty.

REnowmed
Lord, that for your worthinesseAnd noble deeds haue your
deserued
place,High in the fauour of that
Empresse,The worlds sole glory and
her sexes
grace,Here eke of right haue you a
worthie
place,Both for your nearnes to
that Faerie
Queene,And for your owne high merit
in
like cace,Of which, apparaunt proofe
was to
be sene,When that tumultuous rage
and fearfull
deeneOf Northerne rebels ye did
pacify,And their disloiall powre
defaced
clene,The record of enduring
memory.Liue Lord for euer in this
lasting
verse,That all posteritie thy
honor may
reherse.

E. S.

To the right honourable the Lord
ofBuckhurst, one of her
Maiesties
priuie Counsell.

To the right honourable Sir
Fr.Walsingham, knight,
principall
Secretary to herMaiesty, and of her honourable
PriuyCounsell.

THat
Mantuane Poetes incompared spirit,Whose girland now is set in
highest
place,Had not Mecænas
for
his worthy merit,It first aduaunst to great Augustus
grace,Might long perhaps haue lien
in
silence bace,Ne bene so much admir'd of
later
age.This lowly Muse, that learns
like
steps to trace,Flies for like aide vnto
your Patronage;That as the great Mecenas
of this age,As wel to al that ciuil
artes professeAs those that are inspired
with
Martial rage,And craues protection of her
feeblenesse:Which if ye yield, perhaps
ye may
her rayseIn bigger times to sound
your liuing
prayse.

To the right noble LORD and
mostvaliaunt Captaine, Sir
Iohn
Norris knight, LordPresident of Mounster.

WHo
euer gaue more honourable prizeTo the sweet Muse, then did
the
Martiall crewThat their braue deeds she
might
immortalizeIn her shril tromp, and
sound their
praises dew?Who then ought more to
fauour her,
then youMoste noble Lord, the honor
of this
age,And Precedent of all that
armes
ensue?Whose warlike prowess and
manly
courageTempred with reason and
aduizement
sageHath fild sad Belgiacke with
victorious
spoile,In Fraunce and Ireland
left a famous gage,And lately shakt the
Luistanian
soile.Sith then each where thou
hast dispredd
thy fame,Loue him, that hath
eternized your
name.

E. S.

To the right honourable and mostvertuous Lady, the
Countesse
of Pe[m]broke.

REmembraunce
of that most Heroicke Spirit,The heuens pride, the glory
of our
daies,Which now triumpheth through
immortall
meritOf his braue vertues crownd
with
lasting baies,Of heuenlie blis and
euerlasting
praises;Who first my Muse did lift
out of
the flore,To sing his sweet delights
in lowlie
laies;Bids me most noble Lady to
adoreHis goodly image liuing
euermore,In the diuine resemblaunce
of your
face,Which with your vertues ye
embellish
more,And natiue beauty deck with
heuenlie
grace.For his, and for your owne
especial
sake,Vouchsafe from him this
toke[n]
in good worth to take.

E. S.

To the right honourable the Earleof Cumberland.

REdoubted
Lord, in whose corageous mindThe flowre of cheualry now
bloosming
faire,Doth promise fruite worthy
the noble
kindWhich of their praises haue
left
you the haire;To you this humble present I
prepare,For loue of vertue and of
Martiall
praise;To which though nobly ye
inclined
are,As goodlie well ye shew'd in
late
assaies,Yet braue ensample of long
passed
daies,In which trew honor ye may
fashioned
see,To like desire of honor may
ye raise,And fill your mind with
magnanimitee.Receiue it, Lord, therefore,
as
it was ment,For honor of your name and
high
descent.